Superstar Stephen Curry led Golden State Warriors to an epic NBA playoff win, scoring 32 factors and holding off a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback by Sacramento Kings, securing an exciting 126-125 victory and leveling the sequence.
Harrison Barnes nearly snatched victory for Sacramento on the buzzer, however his long-range effort bounced off the rim to depart the NBA champions celebrating a consequence that leaves them tied at 2-2 within the best-of-seven sequence after dropping video games one and two.
In the East, in the meantime, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics moved inside a victory of advancing, the Knicks beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 and the Celtics downing Atlanta 129-121 to every take 3-1 sequence leads.
Curry breathed a sigh of aid after two uncharacteristic blunders in a frenetic finale on the Chase Center.
The Warriors talisman missed a wide-open three-pointer along with his team-leading 126-121 with lower than a minute remaining.
Curry compounded that uncommon miss by erroneously calling a timeout when the Warriors had none left, incomes a technical foul and permitting Sacramento’s Malik Monk to make it a four-point sport with a free throw.
An excellent De’Aaron Fox three-pointer from 28 toes then left Sacramento inside one at 126-125, and when Curry missed one other floater, the Kings had an opportunity to win it solely to see Barnes’s late effort bounce out.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I thought it was the smartest play in the world,” Curry stated of his timeout name after a failed problem had price the Warriors their final day out. “I appeared over on the bench and all people was shaking their head.
“But we did what we needed to do defensively in those last 10 seconds,” a relieved Curry stated. “We’ve protected home court, and now we move on.”
Barnes’s late miss was the ultimate act of an exciting battle between the Western Conference rivals that noticed the lead change arms no fewer than 19 instances as momentum ebbed and flowed.
Golden State turned the screw decisively within the third quarter, outscoring the Kings 37-23 to start out the fourth with a 10-point benefit.
Sacramento, nonetheless, got here surging again with a 7-0 run to start out the ultimate quarter and solely a handful of factors separated the 2 groups within the waning seconds.
Curry led the Warriors scoring 32 factors, Klay Thompson added 26, together with 4 three-pointers, and Jordan Poole had 22.
Andrew Wiggins added 18 factors, whereas Draymond Green, returning after suspension, had 12 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists off the bench.
Fox produced a blinding efficiency for Sacramento with 38 factors, whereas Keegan Murray added 23 and Monk 16.
The Kings host sport 5 on Wednesday.
Knicks nearly there
In New York, Jalen Brunson drained 5 three-pointers on the best way to 29 factors for the Knicks, who once more electrified Madison Square Garden.
With only one win from three extra video games, the Knicks can advance previous the primary spherical for the primary time since 2013.
New York led by as many as 15 on the best way to a nine-point halftime lead.
An enormous third quarter noticed the Cavs sneak right into a slim lead earlier than a sustained Knicks rally within the fourth.
Brunson was one among 4 gamers in double figures, with R.J. Barrett offering offensive assist with 26 factors.
Darius Garland led Cleveland to 23 factors, however Donovan Mitchell had a sport to overlook after ending with simply 11 factors – solely two within the second half.
The Cavs will attempt to prolong the sequence once they host sport 5 on Wednesday.
The Celtics can wrap up their sequence at dwelling on Tuesday after bouncing again from a disappointing game-three defeat with a convincing victory in Atlanta.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 31 factors apiece for the Celtics, every delivering a dunk within the last minute because the Celtics thwarted the Hawks’ final rally bid.
Hawks star Trae Young completed with a game-high 35 factors and handed out 14 assists.
But Boston stepped up their defensive depth and had a solution for each Atlanta run, by no means trailing after the primary quarter.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
